Francine Rivers
The Last Sin Eater (1998)
Author: Francine Rivers
Genre: Christian/Historical/Thriller
Plot Summary:
Cadi Forbes had little idea what would come of her search for the sin eater, the outcast from the community who was fated to take the sins of the people upon himself. Her search for forgiveness pulls her deeper and deeper into the secrets and betrayals that seem to abound in her isolated highland valley. She finds that she is not the only one who has sinned and she is not the only one seeking forgiveness. When a Man of God makes his way into the valley, his words draw Cadi and her friend, Fagan Kai, into his promises of peace, hope, and redemption. But these same words cause fear and anger in others - specifically Brogan Kai, the man feared by all, who swears in his wrath to save his people by destroying this Man of God. Cadi and Fagan must defy their parents, the traditions of their people, and overcome their own fears to find truth, peace, and Jesus. SPOILER: It turns out that no one in the clan is without sin. The massacre of the Indians that took place when the first families made their way to the valley tainted them all, and almost everyone, especially the Kai, want to keep the truth buried forever. Cadi's major sin was wishing that her little sister, Elen, would die - but she did not actually kill her sister. The reason for the estrangement between Cadi and her mother was her mother's guilt about favoring Elen over Cadi.
Geographical Setting: Great Smokey Mountains, North Carolina
Time Period: Mid-1850s
Appeal Characteristics:
In this 1999 Gold Medallion Book Award winner, Francine Rivers weaves a wonderful tale of heartache and forgiveness. The characterization is wonderfully vivid with the characters speaking in a Welsh dialect and living according to old country traditions. The development of the characters, especially Cadi and Fagan, is the main focus of the book. It is their rebellious quest for redemption that drives the story. From the beginning Rivers uses the mystery of what great sin little 10 year-old Cadi could have committed to keep the reader turning the pages. The story moves along fairly quickly, but Rivers does not sacrifice description and character development to make the book a fast paced read. The beauty and isolation of the mountain valley play a pivotal roll in the unfolding of the tragedy and triumph of the story. For a long time the seclusion and the past have kept the people under a dark cloud, but their closeness and familial connections are restored in the end as a source of great comfort and joy. There is a very homey, comforting feel to the description of Granny Forbes and Miz Elda and their wisdom which they dispense to the younger generation.
Read-alikes: A good book to start with would be Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. It is similar to this book in that is also uses first person narrative which gives the book a storytelling quality and it also incorporates relevant vocabulary in order to transport the reader to the period. Another story dealing with sibling jealousy and overcoming feelings of guilt and resentment is The Bluebird and the Sparrow by Janette Oke. Oke's style has a similar warm, inviting feel to Rivers' style. It is also set in the an earlier time period where life was simpler, yet relationships were just as complex as today. Beverly Lewis also addresses sensitive emotional and family issues in her books. Her book, The Redemption of Sarah Cain, is set in an Amish community, and has the same feel of community and interconnectedness that comes out in The Last Sin Eater. On a similar note, Karen Kingsbury writes books dealing with overcoming great challenges, both emotional and physical, to find true love and come unto Christ. Her book, A Thousand Tomorrows, while a bit faster paced, deals with a couple's quest for meaning in life and love. For another faster-paced Historical Christian Fiction book, you might try T. Davis Bunn's To the Ends of the Earth. This story deals with familial relationships and the struggle inherent in coming to Christ. Another author who's works are similar to Rivers' biblical stories is Taylor Caldwell. His Dear and Glorious Physician portrays the life of Luke in one of the classic works of spiritual fiction. Another read-alike is She Walks These Hills by Sharyn McCrumb. It includes a very similar plot in the Appalachian Mountains where the characters need to solve a mystery in order for good to triumph over evil. The settings and time periods are very similar. Another Christian fiction read-alike is A Thousand Tomorrows by Karen Kingsbury. It is an inspirational book where the characters need to overcome the sins of their past and their families in order to follow their faith. It ends in a similar way with the characters helping good triumph over evil. June by Lori Copeland was recommended because of the similar inspirational story. The time period is similar along with the characters dilemma. The characters need to follow their faith even though it is difficult in order to solve their problems. It is the struggle of what is right and good over what is easy.
Red Flags: This book looks at the outcomes of sin - of abuse, murder, and rape. But most of these sins were committed in the past and are only related in this story. However, parts of the story are rather violent - a murder takes place, as well as the children being beaten on several occasions.
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